Mom said, "If you want to study, you could go to a nearby school...? But my grandfather and grandmother suggested that we should go to a school in Edelheide Kingdom to meet more people.

　However, it's really far away, so there's no way we can go there from home.
　I heard there is a dormitory, so we are going to live there.

　This is how Leila and I decided to leave the town where we were born and raised.
　This is the second time we've taken a long trip, but the first time we've been alone.

　I'm sure it sounds dangerous for a twelve year old child to travel alone, but my mother left for the sword city by herself when she was eleven, so it's not so unusual in this world.
　Well, that mother was the most worried about her........

''Well, I'll go off then.''
Brush your teeth, okay?　I bathe every day... and I wash my clothes...
I'm fine, Mom.
We're leaving!

　We say goodbye to our families and we're off.

"Ick!
Hey! That was way too fast!

　They would travel by boat.
　It was a land ship that my father had built in the past, and it could run on magical power.

　As I panicked at Leila's rapid acceleration, I quickly lost sight of the city in the blink of an eye.
　Isn't this faster than the last time we rode?

"Daddy made it better!　More magical efficiency and more speed!
I wish they'd improved the ride, too!

　The vibrations are so great, my butt hurts.
　I feel like I'm going to get drunk soon.

'Since it's just us this time to begin with, wouldn't it be faster to fly?
Oh.

　I decided to fly.







　I made it to the Kingdom of Edelheid.
　It took me roughly two whole days to fly through the sky.

　In my previous life, it feels like it took me a long time to get there, but in this world where traffic is not developed, it's only two days.
　With a carriage, it would probably take more than half a month to get there.

'Huh?　Ark, you've never been here before?
Yeah, that's what I thought.

　We nodded to each other as we gazed from the sky at the royal capital, where the school was apparently located.
　The streets were familiar to me.

　It wasn't just that we were passing through.
　It's not so much that Leila, who doesn't have much of a memory (or rather, she easily forgets things that don't interest her), even remembers them.

'This place is... yeah!　As I recall, the city was attacked by the undead.
Was it?

　Leila's head is tilted, but I'm sure of it.
　I was the first to find and defeat a necromancer who controlled the undead.

　Four years have passed since then, and the city has been beautifully restored.
　The people on the street are vibrant and look completely different from the impression they had back then.

　We landed on the ground and entered the city.

　Yes, I knew it.
　At the end of the long avenue, there was a castle that hadn't changed since four years ago.

　But I don't know where the institute is.
　Shall I ask someone?

Hey, hey, sis!　Where is the academy?

　Leila approached a sister who was passing close by.
　Unlike me, she's not shy, so she's good at this kind of thing.

　She's a girl whose innocence exudes from her face, and those who are approached out of the blue are usually kind enough to tell me what to do.
　As a result, the older sister stopped.

''The academy.......Edelheid Royal Academy, right? Are you here to take the exam?
Test?

　Leila tilts her head at her smiling sister's words.
　I say, dumbfounded.

'You have to pass an exam to get into the Royal Academy. It was in the brochure, right?''
Huh?　Was it?　I mean, what is a test anyway?

　From there.....

The exam is a test to see if you are suitable for admission. If you are judged to be suitable, you pass the test and are cleared to become a student.
What happens if you fall?
Maybe next year.
Huh.

　I don't know how hard it is, but it's probably not an easy test.
　Grandpa said we could definitely pass it on the first try.

The Royal Academy is in the northwest part of town. You have to go straight down this road.
This way!　Thanks, sis!
You're welcome. Have you guys come a long way?　Just the two of you?
'Yes!　From a town called Fainot!
'Feinotto...?　I've never heard of that. Anyway, good luck on your exams.

　After thanking the sister, we walked in the direction she told us to go.
　We arrived earlier than we expected, so the exam is in a few days, but we wanted to make sure we knew where the academy was beforehand.

Oh, is that it?
I guess so.

　Soon, a building that looked like it came into view.

Wow. It looks very spacious.
Yes.

　It's surrounded by a high wall, and that wall goes on forever.
　It seems to have a pretty big site.

　I went up to the main gate, but it seems to be off limits to outsiders, so I couldn't get in.
　Maybe we will be able to enter during the examinations.

　While I was looking at the grounds from outside, I saw a group of what I assumed were students passing by.
　It was a group of girls.

''Ah........''

　I think I just saw A(n)'s(n) and K(n)'s(n) children....
　Unfortunately, I can't check it out as it has already been hidden behind the building.

''What's wrong, Ark?''
...Nah, it's nothing. I just need to find a place to stay.